Cherry Blossoms, Part 3

Photos:

• Top left: until one of my students recommended going to Tama Plaza to see sakura, I had no idea that there were so many beautiful trees a mere 20 min. walk from my apartment. The trees lined both sides of the street and must have stretched for over a mile. Incredible...
• Top right: I took this photo standing in the exact same spot as the photo from last week (refer to my post from March 20). No more bare branches along the Meguro River!
• Bottom: another view of cherry blossoms along the river. This photo is one of my favorites; I only wish everyone at home could be here to see how much more beautiful it is when you're actually standing there.

More Cherry Blossoms

Another day off, and another day spent in search of cherry blossoms. One of my students recommended that I go to Shinjuku Gyoen, and I am so glad I did. I walked around for just over two hours in an enormous garden full of cherry blossoms in full bloom, ponds, and even a greenhouse with tropical plants. Here are a few images of where I spent the afternoon (well worth the 200 yen entrance, if you ask me):





























Photos:

• Top left: some really tall cherry trees near the entrance to the park
• Top right: white cherry blossoms
• Middle left: a view of some cherry trees across a pond
• Middle right: see the crane?
• Bottom left: get this--both those colors of blossoms are on the same tree!
• Bottom right: kimonos and cherry blossoms...how much more Japanese can you get?

Happy Spring!!

Today is a national holiday in Japan: Spring Equinox Day. I thought to myself, there's no better way to celebrate the first day of spring than an afternoon in search of the magnificent Japanese cherry blossoms. Here are a few pics of my day:





























Photos:

• Top left: a sight I never expected to see in the Tokyo skyline--the dome of a western cathedral. I got lost on my way in search of a book sale in Ochanomizu, but found many other treasures instead. Among them were a Shinto shrine, a Confucian temple and this cathedral: Nikolai-do.
• Top right: another view of the cathedral
• Middle left: a bridge near Ochanomizu Station
• Middle right: sunset at Ueno Park
• Bottom left: CHERRY BLOSSOMS!!
• Bottom right: more cherry blossoms near a shrine in Ueno Park

Needless to say, I'm thoroughly excited about this cherry blossom thing. And this week is just the beginning. Check back in a couple days--I'm hoping to have lots more pictures to share with you soon. (The trees should be in full bloom all over Tokyo next week!)

Watashi no tokei wa atarashi desu

Almost time for cherry blossom season in Tokyo!! I've heard that the first trees are already starting to bloom and by next week, hopefully there will be plenty to see. I've started asking students where I should go to see them, and I've had so many suggestions. Maybe next week's post will have lots of "sakura" photos...

Until then, here are a few photos I took yesterday:

















Photos:

• Top left: I got a new watch yesterday! It's a limited edition Fossil watch--sold only in Japan. All the numbers are shown in kanji.
• Top right: another beautiful sunset; photo taken in Naka-Meguro, two train stops from the school where I work.
• Bottom left: Meguro River. Hopefully by this time next week, all those trees you see lining the river will be brimming with cherry blossoms.
• Bottom right: another view of the river--I took the pic through a fence on the bridge.

Domo arigato, construction worker robot-o

Photos:

• Left: just a picture I took last week of the Metropolitan Government office in Shinjuku.
• Right: see the construction worker? Take a close look; it's actually a robot. He waves his arms at traffic and everything. These things sometimes look so realistic that once when I saw one folded up in a cart at the end of the night, I thought it was a dead body. My other favorite part of the photo? The picture of the guy bowing on the sign to the left of the robot.

~~

I've been in Tokyo for half a year now. But even though I love living here so much, there are definitely a lot of things from home that I miss a lot. Last night, for example, was the first time I slept on a western-style bed--as opposed to the futon mat on the floor--since my last night in America last September. (Thanks to my awesome flatmate for getting it for me and bringing it to the apartment!) That got me thinking about all the stuff I haven't done in a while, and as a result of this thinking, I have decided to revive one of my favourite pastimes of making lists. So here is one, just for kicks and giggles, of the things I haven't done since arriving in Japan:

1. eaten turkey sandwiches (actually, I just did that for the first time in Japan only two weeks ago)
2. used a dryer for my clothes when I do laundry
3. driven a car
4. used a debit card/written a check
5. turned on the television/radio and understood what I heard
6. had central heating
7. successfully read a label at the grocery store
8. bought a single piece of fruit for less than $.80

Hina matsuri

Happy Girls' Day everyone!

Today marks the Japanese festival where households put out elaborate displays of dolls and peach blossoms as a symbol that their daughters might one day marry well. I took this picture at the ward office where I take my weekly Japanese lesson.